For an award-backed drama, start with 12th Fail; for high-energy spectacle, try Jawan or Pathaan; and for family stories, consider Gulmohar or Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. These are recommendations, not a definitive ranking: the strongest pick depends on whether you want scale, suspense, romance, comedy, or a grounded drama.
How to choose a Hindi movie from 2023
The selection below brings together official award recognition and year-end editorial picks, with films grouped by the experience they offer rather than ranked from best to worst. Those signals are different: an award recognizes achievement in a stated category, while an editorial list reflects its writers’ choices. Moneycontrol explicitly presented its ten year-end selections in no particular order.
The 71st National Film Awards were for 2023 films but were announced on 1 August 2025. The government’s Press Information Bureau named 12th Fail Best Feature Film, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, and Sam Bahadur in the category for promoting national, social, and environmental values. Vikrant Massey, for 12th Fail, and Shah Rukh Khan, for Jawan, shared the leading actor award. These are retrospective honors, not awards announced during the films’ 2023 release year. See the Press Information Bureau’s official awards announcement.
Strong starting points for drama and family stories
12th Fail — an award-backed social drama
Choose 12th Fail if you want a dramatic story rather than a spectacle-led blockbuster. Its Best Feature Film award at the 71st National Film Awards gives it the clearest official recognition in this selection; Vikrant Massey also shared the leading actor award for his performance. It is a useful first pick for viewers asking for a good Hindi movie from 2023 with a serious, grounded tone.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallRocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani — romance on a family scale
This romantic family drama puts two families and their contrasting cultures at the center of the story. Its award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment makes it a strong option when you want a broad, crowd-pleasing relationship story. It also appeared in the year-end selections from Moneycontrol and Vogue India.
Gulmohar — intimate family tensions
For a more contained family drama, try Gulmohar. Moneycontrol included it among its 2023 Hindi-film picks; its concerns include relationships, inheritance, and the anxieties of urban life. It suits viewers who would rather follow tensions within a family than watch a large-scale action plot.
Sam Bahadur — biography and war drama
Sam Bahadur is the choice here for a biographical war story. The National Film Awards recognized it in the category for promoting national, social, and environmental values. That category recognition is distinct from a judgment about box-office success or a universal critical consensus.
Rank #2
- Language: Hindi
- Subtitles: English
- Region - All
For action, crime, and spy thrillers
Jawan — action with a political edge
Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan is a high-energy vigilante thriller with a political dimension. It works for viewers who want mainstream action and a star-led spectacle; Khan also shared the 2023-film-year leading actor award announced in 2025. The award is recognition for acting, not a measure of the film’s popularity or quality for every viewer.
Pathaan — globe-trotting spy spectacle
If you want a spy-action film built around scale and momentum, consider Pathaan, one of Vogue India’s year-end selections. It is a natural counterpoint to the smaller family dramas in this guide.
Jaane Jaan — a crime mystery
Jaane Jaan, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Vijay Varma, is a crime and mystery option. Its Kalimpong setting and a story complicated by a death make it a fit for viewers who prefer investigation and character tension to nonstop action.
Rank #3
- BOLLYWOOD SONGS DVD
Khufiya — a darker spy story
Choose Khufiya for espionage shaped by betrayal and personal stakes. Vogue India and the Times of India included it among their 2023 selections; it offers a darker alternative to the more overtly spectacular spy-film mode.
For comedy, adventure, and sport
OMG 2 — courtroom comedy with a content note
OMG 2 mixes courtroom comedy with a story about sex education. Moneycontrol included it in its year-end list, and the Times of India described it as socially relevant. The Times of India lists an adult certificate, so viewers should factor in its sexual-health themes and check the applicable local rating before watching.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsDhak Dhak — a women-led motorcycle adventure
In Dhak Dhak, four women set out on a motorcycle journey that becomes a story of adventure and self-discovery. It offers a road-trip alternative to male-led action spectacles and was selected by Vogue India; the Times of India also lists it among its 2023 films.
Rank #4
Ghoomer — a sports drama
Ghoomer follows a cricketer whose path changes and the coaching that shapes what comes next. If a sports story appeals more than a family drama or spy thriller, Vogue India and the Times of India both included it in their selections.
More 2023 Hindi films to explore
If you want to expand beyond the main picks, year-end lists also named Tarla and Lust Stories 2 (including the segment “The Mirror”), as well as Joram, Dunki, Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, and Farrey. These titles broaden the range beyond the action, family drama, and thriller choices above. Moneycontrol’s list appeared on 18 December 2023, Vogue India’s on 23 December 2023, and the Times of India page provides a broader set of Hindi-language film details and synopses.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What 2023’s box office does—and does not—tell you
The Associated Press reported that Ormax Media estimated cumulative Indian box-office revenue at $1.3 billion in 2023. That is an attributed industry estimate, not an audited official total, and revenue is not a measure of a film’s artistic quality. AP’s report also quoted Yuvaa co-founder Nikhil Taneja saying, “This year Shah Rukh Khan has almost single-handedly revived cinema, very similar to what Tom Cruise did in Hollywood with his ‘ Top Gun ‘ last year.” That is Taneja’s opinion, not a measured causal finding. AP also noted criticism of hyper-masculinity and aggressive nationalism around some action hits; that context should not be used to treat every Hindi film of the year as telling the same story.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Best Value
- Collector's Edition: Set of 5 classic Bollywood films from Gemini Films, a renowned production house.
- Timeless Classics: Includes the evergreen movies Gharana, Ghunghat, Zindagi, Insaniyat, and Paigham.
- Language and Subtitles: Films in Hindi language with English subtitles for wider accessibility.
- High-Quality DVDs: Brand new DVDs released by Indus DVD Video, ensuring pristine audio and video quality.
- Convenient Set: All 5 movies conveniently packaged together in a single set for easy storage and gifting.
Where to check before watching
Streaming catalogs and regional rights change, so older platform labels are not reliable evidence of present availability. Vogue India’s December 2023 article listed some titles on Prime Video and others on Netflix at that time; check the services available in your region for current access. The Times of India’s film page can help confirm language labels, genres, runtimes, and synopses, but its critic ratings are that publisher’s ratings rather than an industry-wide consensus.
Sources: Press Information Bureau, 71st National Film Awards announcement; Moneycontrol’s year-end Hindi-film picks; Vogue India’s year-end film selections; Times of India’s 2023 Hindi-film listings; Associated Press report on Hindi cinema and 2023 box office.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
